These don’t have to be done on any specific day! But in case you want to, here’s something to do every day in October.

Holidays & Activities for Every Day in October 2024

October 1 – Homemade Cookie Day

Cookie dough and almond fingernails come together to make creepy (but delicious) witch fingers. You’ll find the recipe at #75 on our list of the best Halloween crafts and treats.

October 2 – Rosh Hashanah

Happy New Year! The Jewish holiday starts tonight, and there are a ton of ways of honoring the New Year with kids, including dipping apples in honey to celebrate a sweet new year. Check your local calendar of events to find some celebrations for the whole family near you.

Paint some recycled jars and you have an adorably spooky new light! Photo courtesy of Crafts by Amanda

October 3 – Decorate for Halloween

Now we’re solidly into October and it’s time to decorate. Have fun making Halloween pots, luminary jars, and more to decorate your home and yard: we’ve got instructions for these fun and easy crafts.

October 4 – Kids Music Day

Have a dance party! Let everyone take turns playing DJ. Then learn some fun dances together with the best easy TikTok dances for kids and families.

October 5 – Frugal Fun Day

Can you get through a whole day together without spending money? Try it! And if you need something fun and free to do with your day, check out your local Free Guide.

October 6 – National Noodle Day

Mac and cheese, pool noodles, or thinking? What’s your favorite noodle? If your answer is mac and cheese, have the kids help you whip up a delicious version for dinner that didn’t come out of a box.

October 7 – Get your yard ready for trick-or-treaters!

Every yard needs something spooky or silly to greet trick-or-treaters. Go simple (skeletons you can make from paper plates) or big (crazy inflatables), but come up with something fun.

Whip up an ooey-gooey lunch or after school treat of Fluffernutters! Photo courtesy of Canva

October 8 – National Fluffernutter Day

Pack your kid a fluffernutter (made with sunflower butter, if you have allergies!) for lunch or make an afterschool snack with peanut butter and marshmallow fluff on Ritz crackers.

October 9 – Bring Your Teddy Bear to School Day

Kids will delight in having a reason to bring their favorite fluffy friend along for the day.

October 10 – Cake Decorating Day

Make a cake and decorate it! Often on birthdays, kids need cupcakes, or you get a huge sheet cake for the whole class, or they want it to look perfect, so you order from a bakery. So make today a day where you buy or bake a cake and have fun decorating it together! From unicorns to Elmo, we’ve rounded up some fun and easy cake-decorating tips.

October 11 – Yom Kippur

Whether your family celebrates this holiday or not, it’s a lovely day to talk about how we make others feel, and think about asking for forgiveness. Talk with your kids about someone that they noticed was sad or had their feelings hurt recently, and have them write a letter to that person!

October 12 – National Chess Day

Maybe you can’t remember what a Rook is or how the Knight moves. But chess is a game your kids can play their whole lives that teaches critical thinking skills. These online chess games will teach your kids to play and can give you a refresher, too!

October 13 – Take a trip to a Halloween Town

From Salem to Sleepy Hollow to ghost towns in the west, like Calico in California, plan a trip near or far to explore one of America’s most haunted towns.

October 14 – Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Do you know who originally lived where you live? One way to honor Indigenous People, is to learn about and acknowledge the Native land you live on. Look in your local calendar of events for a celebration or event hosted by an Indigenous organization that honors Indigenous people and cultures.

October 15 – Tell a Halloween Joke Today

We're mid-way through the month! It's a perfect time to lighten a spooky mood with some funny Halloween jokes for kids.

October 16 – National Take Your Parents To Lunch Day

There are two ways to celebrate this day: take your parents (your kids' grandparents) to lunch, if they live nearby. They'll be thrilled with the surprise treat plus grandkid time. Or, if your parents aren't nearby, have your kids treat you to lunch by making lunch! Pick something from our list of 100 easy lunch ideas kids love, and they will be so proud to do something for you!

October 17 – Wear Something Gaudy Day

It's time to pull out your craziest, least matching, most silly and sparkly clothes! Take the whole family for an outing together, dressed in their kookiest clothes.

October 18 – National Chocolate Cupcake Day

Have a little sweet treat while you're waiting to tear into that Halloween candy! Here are the easiest ways to decorate some cupcakes in honor of Halloween, where all you need is orange frosting, chocolate cookies, and green candies.

Baby sloth do do do do do, baby sloth... Photo courtesy of Canva

October 19 – International Sloth Day

This might be my favorite day of the year. Such cuteness! If you happen to have a sloth you can visit at your local zoo or animal sanctuary, today is a great day to go. If not, maybe make do with a movie night where you show Zootopia!

October 20 – Plan your Halloween Costume

With just about 10 days to go, is your costume set? We've got over 100 kids' Halloween costume ideas if you're still looking for inspiration, and another 10 easy last-minute costume ideas you can make with things you definitely have hanging around your house.

October 21 – National Apple Day

Want the easiest and kid-pleasiest apple recipe around? Check out our video on making Apple Nachos.

October 22 – Throw a Halloween Party

Get inspired by our top 25 Halloween party game ideas.

October 23 – Host a Halloween Scavenger Hunt

This last week before the big day is an antsy time for kids. Distract them with a Halloween scavenger hunt.

October 24 – National Kangaroo Awareness Day

Spend the day hopping (jump roping—check out our favorite jump rope games!) like a kangaroo and then read all about Kanga and Roo at bedtime with a favorite Pooh story.

October 25 – National Frankenstein Friday

Five fun ways to celebrate Frankenstein with kids:

1. Make Frankenstein cupcakes
2. Cut Footloose like Frankenstein
3. Watch the classic movie or the kids and pups version of the movie, depending on your kids' ages
4. Read the classic, as reimagined for kids
5. Play a creative drawing game, based on the stitched together monster

Olaf costume on the kid, Olaf face on the pumpkin! Photo by Maureen Wilkey

October 26 – National Pumpkin Day

It's finally time to carve some pumpkins! We've got easy pumpkin carving ideas and pumpkin carving stencils.

October 27 – Have a Halloween Movie Night!

Choose from our list of the 30 best kids' Halloween movies with not-so-scary thrills and chills.

October 28 – National Chocolate Day

Go buy your trick-or-treat candy, or replace that candy that you bought earlier in the month and ate! Don’t worry if you have too much candy; check back next month for us to tell you where to donate any extra candy!

October 29 – National Oatmeal Day

Take a break from Halloween treats for something healthy, but that kids will still devour! These Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bites are so healthy (plus they're gluten-free and vegan) you can eat them for breakfast, snack time, or dessert!

October 30 – Mischief Night

Play some pranks on each other tonight (if you need some ideas, check out our super easy April Fools Day pranks to play on your kids. Because one day a year for pranks is just not enough!

October 31 – Happy Halloween!

Trick or treat, give out candy, or head to a parade or party! It's time to celebrate. If you need any last ideas for Halloween, hit our Halloween Activities Guide.

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